Dear Home Beautifiers, How about an Ask Barbara column/video/youtube thing about color in our dwelling places? Or a HOUSE COLOR TALK that I can present to your group or teach in a 2-hour community ed class? Would this of these be of interest to you? I hope so, because I could talk about these things … More Color Questions. What do you want to know?
It has been quite a slog back to the blog, but here we are on a fiercely hot summer day in Philadelphia and I am typing away with only a slight ache in my right wrist, my slightly stiff fingers doing their darnedest to move around the keyboard. I was off radar until April. In-home … More Ceiling and Woodwork Color is Crucial.
I went to Washington DC for the Women’s March. Yes, I’m for all those progressive ideals like equal rights, and peace not war, and I believe the environment is a person and a corporation is not. It was an awesome, fierce, and moving experience. And who would think so much power could be conveyed by the … More Pink
Here we are with a big witchy holiday upon us. And I love big witchy holidays. As I am sure you are aware, the veil between the worlds thins out at this time of year and for some reason the colors orange and black have come to be associated with All Hallow’s Eve. My theory … More The Orange and Black Time of Year
Many of you are getting ready to do the great Paint-the-Exterior-of -the-House-Before-Winter thing, aren’t you? And maybe you are tempted to repaint in the same colors that are already on there. But, hey…… Life is short or long depending on your point of view, and time doesn’t matter anyway because it’s an illusion, right? I’m pretty sure I … More Painting your house before winter? Inspiration from Italy.
Client MW is doing the downsizing thing. She has kept her most treasured objects and furniture and moved herself into a sunny, bright condo about 6 stories up. She’s in the treetops! I think Downsizing is a polite term for the sometimes gut-wrenching process of letting go, but M is no sissy. When we met at her … More White, Gray, and a Pop of Color – A Downsize Story
Big project. Complex layout. Lots of character and charm. Chestnut-color stained woodwork. Tall trees shading the property. My clients D&E had been living with all-white walls in their converted carriage house for 10 whole years. Every room, hallway, and closet in their converted carriage house was painted a cool white. The day came when D craved color … More 14 Colors for a Carriage House
A paint contractor called me the other day to help on a big exterior project he was working on. His clients R & M had presented him with their large, dignified stone house that had not been painted in many years. It’s exciting to polish a diamond. This place has beautiful moulding, old wooden shutters with … More Exterior Paint Colors for a Big Stone House
There’s a large, beautiful house about 15 minutes away, and the owner guy “R”, called me in to work with him on choosing colors for the exterior. Right now he has bright white stucco with Wedgewood Blue trim and shutters. Wedgewood Blue is the color his ex-wife had chosen and although it is a good color, R … More Dignified Exterior Colors, with a Twist.
Client L has a rambling ranch house of Pennsylvania gray stone. I fully expected to cross the threshold and find glossy golden-oak hardwood floors, like usual ‘round these parts. But no, my Danskos landed on a huge expanse of honest-to-goodness Saltillo tile in a deep red-orange-brown color. It was a whole houseful of Mexican Saltillo … More Saltillo tile in Pennsylvania – a saga
Mayfield Color Consulting 